(SPOT.ph) Eating Filipino cuisine is like wrestling with your appetite. It’s difficult not to overeat when everything works so well with rice, and when you’re dealing with unlimited rice, you’re sure that, eventually, the limitations of your stomach will be pushed to the limits. Qubiertos does exactly this: The fast-growing chain is all about big flavors, big servings in affordable prices—a generosity that emanates from cultural hospitality.

There's even valet service.

An outdoor area. Soon, Qubiertos will include a garden setup.

Qubiertos plays on easy-to-love dishes, like the picture-perfect Kare-Kare (P225) with its bright orange sauce that serves as a nutty pool for tender tripe, eggplant, greens, and beans. The bagoong is homemade and extra-salty, a sharp push of flavor against the creaminess. The fish, Pinaputok na Bangus (P215), is remarkably light. A stuffing of tomatoes, onions, and peppers lifts the delicate flavor of the thankfully boneless milkfish. It’s more soft than flaky, with a subtle kinilaw-ish tartness that demands heaps of steaming rice.

At some point comes the realization that the unlimited rice isn’t so much a kindness as it is a necessity.

Pinaputok na Bangus

Ginataang Sigarilyas

Special Laing

When Qubiertos whips out the pork, consider it the signal to loosen your belt a few notches. They put them even the seemingly lighter fare like the Ginataang Sigarilyas (P130) and Special Laing (P295).

The spice-darkened meat at the bottom...

Bagnet

Qubiertos outlets are fitted with a sub-brand called Kuya Tom’s, which is a grab-and-go counter for Cebu-style lechon. It’s enough of a hint on where they are in their roast-pork game. Pretty up there. The Lechon (P180/0.25 kilograms, P360/half kilogram, P540/three-quarter kilogram, P700/one kilogram) is a stunner, an edible centerpiece where chips-like bubbly skin covers juicy, effortless chunks of belly. It receives that amazing Cebu treatment, which is similar to porchetta. The belly rolls around spices like garlic and tanglad to infuse flavor, but it also goes through a special marinade vivid with star anise notes. The final touch after a session over the fire is a dip in the deep-fryer. The result is a ruddy, flawlessly crisp, blistering skin that reminds you of lechon kawali.

ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW

But if the intention is to go all-out deep-fried, Qubiertos has bagnet (P250), too—taken plain with a side salad or in sinigang (P295).

Inihaw na Pusit (P215)

Chicken Inasal (P96)

Their liempo(P190) presents everything good about this grilled culinary icon, smoky, savory, with the char in all the right places (right over the fat). That’s the best part about Qubiertos. Customers who come in looking for Filipino food get what they expect and a bit more. Sure, there’s the occasional cheese-stuffed grilled squid (tasty!), but nothing here is totally unrecognizable that you’ll do a double take.

Spicy Lechon Ribs

Qubiertos Rice

The kitchen has their hands full with the belly, but the Spicy Lechon Ribs (P395) also get some loving attention. Take this plate and sit in the more secluded areas of the restaurant. The glossy, glorious rack induces that caveman-like effect only large structures of meat are capable of. The barbecue sauce brushes a distinct sweet-savory coat over the brawny ribs. It’s good for four or five, but loosen another notch, ask for another cup of rice, and test your skills. Thank goodness the Qubiertos Rice (P40) doesn’t come bottomless.

Qubiertos also has what they call Wagas Meals, which are really value sets that customers can mix and match from a specific range of specialties. Call them individually portioned indulgences.

Wagas na Wagas Meal with Liempo and Kare-Kare

Suman Crepe

You’ll wonder just how much rice the restaurant has in supply. The dessert, a Suman Crepe (P90), is a carbo-riffic assemblage, with mangoes and chocolate syrup to brighten each rich forkful. At Qubiertos, you just can’t escape rice.